Elevator door operating mechanism



Sept. 19, 1933. M. w. TALEN ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 P 1933- M. w. TALEN ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept 15, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheefc. 2

( QWFTGW Sept. 19, 1933. w TALEN 1,927,559

ELEVATOR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 U) Ta/(V cm KW 9/5 flrromvlsrs Patented Sept. 19, 1933 Umrso STATES PATENT OFFICE j ELEVATOR noon OPERATING MECHANISM Mauritz W. Talen, St. Louis,Mo., assignor to Security Fire Door Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri,

Application September 15, 1930 .Serial No. 481,820

5 Claims.

i One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide an operating means for the door operating rods which will secure, a slow opening and closing movement of the doors and a faster uniform movement between the'slow opening and closing movements. Another object is to provide means for automatically stopping during their opening and closing movements. Other objects are simplicity and cheapness of construction, ease of operation and compactness v w of design. The invention consists in the elevator door operating mechanism, and in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein likesymbols referto like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. l is an interior side elevation of the door side of an elevator shaft equipped with aidoor operating mechanism embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the door side of said shaft, showing the car opposite a landing and the clutch operating cam on the side of the car; V l

Fig. 3 is a plan'view of the mechanism located in the penthouse of the shaft;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail View of the variable speedgearing for reciprocating the door.

rods;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side'elevation 'of one of the emergency switches and the actuating pulley therefor; r

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the mechanism for reciprocating the door rods; and Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the location of the emergency switches in the motor circuit.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown in connection with an ordinary freight elevator comprising a shaft A having a car B working therein and a door at each floor comprising vertically sliding upper and lower door sections C and D, respectively. As shown in the drawings, the upper and lower sliding door sections of each door are'slidably arranged in vertical guides 1 located in the elevator shaft and are counterbalanced preferably by means of chains 2 that pass around pulleys 3 journaled-in the electric motor, which operates the door rods, in the event that the doors strike an obstruction bearings 4 secured to said guides.- One end of each chain 2 is suitably connected to one. of the lower corners of the upper door sectionC and the other end thereof is 'connected'to the upper end of an upright chain-rod 5,"whose lower end is secured to the outer end of an arm6 that projects horizontally from the adjacent upper corner of the lower door section D; 1

, Located in the elevator shaft A on opposite sides of the doors are vertically reciprocable door actuating rods 7 adapted to be' simultaneouslyreciprocated by a reversible electric motor 8 located in thepent house E of the elevator shaft and under conventionalj-push-button control. Each elevator door is connected with the verti cally movable door operating rods 7 on opposite sides of the elevator shaft by means of suitable clutches F (preferably of the kind shown in myapplication Serial No. 428,584, filed February 15, 1930) mounted on. the outer ends of: the door arms 6 at the upp'erlcorners of thelower door" 7 section D. Each of said clutches has a clutch sleeve 9, which surrounds theadjacent door oper ating rod 7, and an operating arm 9 -for engaging said clutch with and disengaging it from said rod. The operating arm 9 of the clutch :F is 10'- f cated in the elevator shaft in position to be engaged by a suitable motor operated retiring ca m 10 mounted on the elevator car B under control of the operator. 1 8 The elevator door operating mechanism thus far described is well known and it is considered unnecessary to illustrate it in detail.- The mechanism for actuating the door o'pe'r ating'rods 7 is located in the penthouse E and comprises thehereinbefore' referred to reversible electric motor 8 whose armature shaft 111838-- cured by means of a suitable'coupling- 12 to a worm shaft 13, which is mounted in a casing-14* Withits worm intermeshing with a worm gear 14 fixed to a shaft 14 journaled inisaid casing. The coupling 12 is engaged'by a conventional solenoid actuated brakeK, which normally en gagesthecoupling 12 to prevent rotation of the armature shaft 11 of the motor 8 when'thepower is cut'ofli, The brake is automatically released by conventional means (not, shown) 'when the' power is applied to the motor. Fixed to the worm gear shaft 14? 'is a non-circular or variable motion pinion 15 which intermeshes witha 'noncircular or variable" motion gear 16 fixed to a shaft 17, journaled in suitable standards 18. The: electric motor 8, worm and worm gear casing 14 and standards 18 rest on and aresecured to the 6 floor of the penthouse E. 1

thence upwardly-around the pulley 33 and isfaspull normally required to close a door. The lever ed to the counterweighted arm of the pulley sup portinglever 23 on the box for the emergency.

switch I-I mounted in the penthouse E, and thence extends downwardly into the: elevator shaft A where it is connected to the upper end of the right hand door operating rod 7.1 The other branch 20 of the lower stretch of the sprocket chain 20 passes around a pulley 2imounted in a bracket 25, which is rigidly mounted to the penthouse, thence extends in a reverse direction to the left hand side of the penthouse where it passes over a pulley 26 journaled in one arm of aqlever 2'7; pivotallysupported on the penthouse floor; and is-connected to the upper end of the left handdoorrod 7., The upper stretch of the sprocket chain 20 leading from the sprocket wheel 19 passes over a pulley 28, which is mounted on a; lever 29 pivotallysupported on the box or casing of an emergency switch I located in the penthouse, and thence extends downwardly intothe elevator shaft alongside of the right hand :door: operatingrod and has two branch cables 20?, 20 fastenedthereto by means of an equalizing link 30. The branch cable 20 passes beneath a-pulley'31 located in the pit of the elevator shaft andthence extends upwardly and is fastened to the lower end of the right hand door operating;- rod, The. other branch. cable 20 passes downwardly around apulley .32 located in. the pit of the elevator shaft, thence horizontally to' a pulley 33 journaled in said pit and 'tened tothe lower end of the left hand door operating rod '7.

I The pulley- 221-that of the-lever 23'on the housingof the emergency switch H; and the other arm of'said lever has a weight 34 suspended therefromfor counterb'ab. ancing: the weight of said. pulley and for preventing it from'swingin'g downwardly under the 29 on the box or housing for the emergency switch I is likewiseprovided .With'a weight '35 for counter balancing the weight of the pulley'28-carried'by' said lever and operatesv in the same manner as theweight 34 on the lever 23 to counterbalancethe weight of'the pulley 28 and to prevent the same from being depressed by the normal-pull of the-sprocket chain during the opening of a door; An equalizing bar 36 has one end connect- 7 switchH and has its other end connected to the supporting lever 27 which is pivotally supported on the penthouse-floor and supports the pulley 26. By this arrangement, when either of the pivotally supported pulleys 22 or 26 is swung downwardly by a pull on the door operating chainin excess of. that required to close a door,

the other of: said pulleys is also caused to swingv downwardly. 7

' Each of said emergency switches H and I comprises two stationary contact members 37 that are located inthe electric circuit for the door operating motor Sand are normally connected to close said circuit bya movable contactplate.

supports the branch 20eofthe sprocket. chain is journaled on. one'arm' 38. The movable contact plate 38 of each switch is mounted on a rod 39 slidably mounted in the switch casing, which rod 39 is actuated to open and close the motor circuit by means of an arm 40 which is rigidly secured to the counterweighted pulley supporting lever that is pivotally supported as at 23a on said box. The two emergency switches, I-I'and I which are normally closed, are placed in the electric circuit controlling the door operator motor 8 and operate when opened by an excessive pull on' the door operating chains to break said circuit'and thus stop the motor. As shown in Fig. 7, said, motor circuit comprises reversing controls'lil and 41 for the motor 8,

magnetic switches 42 and 43 in the control lines 44 and 45, respectively, and two wires 46 and 47 extending, one from a push button station 48 to the magnetic switch 42 and the other from said push button station to the magnetic switch 43. A continuation of the wire from the push button station 48 to the magnetic switch 42.1eads to one of the stationary contacts 37of the emergency switch I and thence through the movable contact 38 and the other stationary contact 3'7 to one of the power lines 49.. The wire, which leads from the push button station 48 to the mag netic switch 43, is continued from said switch to one of the stationary contacts 37 of the. emergency switch H and thence through the movable contact plate 38 of said switchthrough'the other, stationarycontact37 thereof to the wire which leads to the power line. It is noted that when control 40 is used for opening the door, the emergencyswitch I will open if the pulley 28 associated therewith is depressed, and that when control ll is used for closing the door, the emergency switch II will open if the pulley 22 associated therewith is depressed 1 The operationof the device is as follows: Whenthe car B stops at a landing, the retiring cams 10 are released by suitable means under control of the operator and slide, forward into engagement with the clutch actuating arms 9 on the lower section C of the door at said landing, thereby causing said clutches to grip the door operating rods '7. The motor 8 in the pent house is thenstarted, by operationof the pushbutton station 48, thereby causing the door operating rods .7 to move downwardly and carry with them the door clutched thereto. When the doors reach their fully opened position, suitable limit switches (not shown) are actuated to open the motor circuit and thus prevent, further downward travel of the door operating rods. When it is desired to close the doors, the push-button station 48 is operated to run the motor ina reverse direction, thereby causing the door operating rods to travelupwardly, farenoughto close the door, whereupon the motor circuit is opened by suitable limit switches (not shown) to,.

stop. further upward travel of the door operating rods. s

It is noted, as an important advantage of the present invention, that the doors are causedto open and close'with a relatively slow speed and with a relatively higher uniform intermediate speed between the slower opening and closing movements. This slow stop andstart, andhigher uniform intermediate speed of the, doors is se-.

cured by means. of the variable motion or noncircular pinion 15 and gear 16 on the worm gear shaft 14* and driving sprocket shaft 17. The gearing is shaped-so that one complete revolution thereof will bring about the complete clos-' ing or opening of the doors; and theratio of 5011 connected to said door operating rods, pulleys I do not wish to be limited to the the gearing at the beginning of its motion is about two to live, and is gradually decreased until the gearing has made about one-fourth of a revolution when a maximum speed is obtained with a ratio of about four to three. This ratio is maintained for about one-half of the revolution of the gearing and, as the gearing makes the last quarter turn, the ratio is again back to two to five.

The mounting of the pulleys 22 and 28 on the counterweighted levers that operate the emergency switches H and I, respectively, serves to prevent accidents and damage to the door operating mechanism in the event that the doors should strike an obstruction which would prevent them from completing their opening and closing movements. In such event, the excessive pull on the chains passing over the counterweighted pulleys 22 and 28 will cause said pulleys to swing downwardly against the pull of the counterweights and thus open the emergency switches H or I and thus break the circuit and stop the motor. The emergency switch H is brought into play should the doors strike an obstruction during their closing movement; and the emergency switch I is brought into play should the doors strike an obstruction during their opening movement. It is noted as an important advantage of my invention that in cases where the travel of the door operating rods is greater than that required to open a door, such door, upon reaching the limit of its travel will place an excessive pull on the door operatingcable and thereby depress pulley 28 and thus i open the switch I and prevent further travel of said door operating rods.

Obviously, the hereinbefore described arrangement admits of considerable modification without departing from the invention. Therefore, I

precise arrangement shown and described.

What I claim is:

i. In an elevator, a shaft, vertically sliding doors therein, verticaly reciprocable door operating rods extending through said shaft on opposite sides of said doors, means for connecting each door with'said door operating rods, a drive wheel, an electric motor for driving said wheel, a sprocket cable driven by said drive wheel and supporting the stretches of said sprocket cable leading from said drive wheel, levers having one arm supporting said pulleys, oounterweights associated with said levers for preventing movement thereof during the normal operation of the door operating mechanism, normally closed switches in the controlling circuit for said electric motor, housings for said switches pivotally supporting said levers, and means for connecting said switches with said pulley supporting levers whereby a pull on either of the stretches of said sprocket cable in excess of that required to move the door rods with a door attached thereto will cause the pulley supporting said stretch to swing downwardly with its counterweighted supporting lever and open the switch associated therewith.

4. In an elevator, a shaft, vertically sliding doors in said shaft, door operating rods extending through said shaft on opposite sides of said doors, means for connecting each door with said door operating rods, a drive wheel, a motor for driving said drive wheel, and a cable driven by said drive wheel, one of the stretches of said cable having two branches one of which is connected to the upper end of thedoor operating rod on one side of the shaft and the other branch being connected to the upper end of the door operating rod on the other side of said shaft, the other stretch of said cable being provided with two branches, one connected to-the lower end of the door operating rod on the one side of the shaft and the other connectedito the lower end of the door op rating rod on the other side of the shaft. 3. In an elevator, a shaft, vertically sliding doors in said shaft, door operating rods extending through said shaft on opposite sides of said doors, means for connecting each doorwith'said door operating rods, a drive wheel, a motor for driving said drive wheel, a cable driven by said drive wheel, one of said stretches of said cable having two branches, oneof which is connected to the upper end of the door operating rod on one side of the shaft and the other branch being connected to the upper end of the door operating rod on the other side of said shaft, the other stretch of said cable-being provided with-two branches, one connected to the lower end of the dooroperating rod on the one side of the shaft and the other connected to the lower end of the door operating rod on the other side of the shaft,

pulleys for supporting the two stretches of said endless cable, an electric motor for operating said cable in opposite directions, a door adapted to be connected with said cable to be opened and closed thereby, a normally closed switch in the control circuit for'said electric motor, a housing for said. switch, a pulley supporting said cable, a lever pivotally supported intermediate its ends on said housing having one arm for supporting said pulley, counterweights suspended from theother arm of said lever, and means for connecting said switch with said pulley supporting lever whereby a pull on said cable in excess of that required to operate said door will cause the counterweighted pulley supporting lever to swing on its pivot and open said switch. j

5. In an elevator, 'a' shaft, vertically sliding doors in said shaft, door operating rods extending through said shaft on opposite sides of said doors, means for connecting each door with said door operating rods, a drive wheel, a motor for driving said drive wheel, a cable driven by said drive wheel, one of said stretches of said cable having two branches, one of which is connected to theupper end of the door operating rod on one side of the shaft and the other branch being connected to the upper end of the door operat 7 ing rod on the other side of said shaft, the other stretch of said cable'being provided with two branches, one connected to. the lower end of the door operating rod on the one side of the shaft and the other connected to the lower end of the l hi door operating rod on the other side of the shaft,

pulleys for supporting the two stretches of said cable, levers for supporting said pulleys, counterweights attached to said levers for preventing pivswitches and; stopsaid motor, an. additional; supporting pulley, for; one of said stretches, alever having one arm supporting. said additional: supporting pulley, and a link connecting'the otherarm of said last mentionedlever with the counterweighted army of; the pulley supporting. lever for saidlast mentioned stretch.

MAURITZY W. TALEN. 

